Tom Kepler Bicycling

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Thursday, September 21, 2017

I sat on my cot in our new Big Agnes Big House 6 Deluxe tent, surrounded by space, which was quite a difference from sitting in my Big Agnes Copper Canyon UL one-person tent, where I have to be careful that my head doesn't brush the tent ceiling when I sit on the ground at the tent's highest point. Yes, this car camping and bourgeois biking was going to be a different experience!

It was Wednesday, late afternoon, and my wife and I had driven to Farmington, Iowa, to Indian Lake Campground, owned by the city. Originally named Duck Pond State Park, in 1952 the state of Iowa sold the site to Farmington because, according to the park manager, the state didn't want to have two state parks in the same county.

Now, in 2017, the campground and lake possess a "rustic" flavor (using my wife's descriptive) that is missing in some of the state parks, and I use the word rustic while acknowledging the word's positive and negative connotations. Yes, the park is obviously maintained with a lower budget than the state parks, and yes, the park retains a more organic, unique character than many state parks. There is the feel that the park was built around the trees, rather than a campground tract bulldozed into existence--and then trees planted. The park is clean yet comfortable with a little dirt, and includes a lodge and pavilion built during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

My wife helped me set up the Big House, then left to return to Fairfield to work some more and return the next day to stay. I spent the night alone after setting up camp and text messaging my wife a few items we'd forgotten.

Thursday morning I spent my bourgeois biking time riding ten miles--first 1.5 miles to the Shimek State Forest headquarters to gain more information about the location of White Oak Campground, which was referenced on state websites and maps, but the maps used no road names and the roads in the state forest were not to be found on Google Maps. I finally located them by using the satellite function of the maps. My day ride then was another 3.5 miles on gravel to the primitive campsite.

It was a real joy ride the route as it morphed from county road J56 to gravel Primrose Road to then a gravel road in the Donnellson Unit of the forest, a road obviously trafficked only by few. I was on my own. Reaching White Oak Campground, I found it much like Bitternut Lake Campground (where I spent the night on an earlier trip): lacking water, using pit toilets, and campsites consisting of fire rings and tables (with some RV gravel). Basic and beautiful, surround by trees, silent and still. These primitive sites in Shimek are the closest I've come in Iowa to feeling I'm surrounded by forest and not just camping in my backyard. It's what I experienced while growing up and camping in the national forests of California's Sierra Nevadas.

Returning back to camp and cooking lunch, which included fresh vegetables from the ice chest (luxury!), I welcomed my wife and awaited the next day's bicycling adventure, a two-mile ride on the trail that surrounds the campground's Indian Lake. The trip with my wife included some walking but included educational signage of vegetation, ecology, and history--specifically including Indian red grass, hickory and white oak trees, and Rattlesnake Jones Point (hopefully not the place Jones fatefully met his last rattlesnake!).

This trip included a small amount of bicycling but a great amount of joy because I was able to see some new places while abike with my wife. Exploring an area in greater depth, rather than just passing through, has its own special pleasure. I can see myself setting up base camp here at Indian Lake someday and then taking day rides on the forest's bike trails, and maybe even spending some overnighters in the forest's primitive campgrounds. However, my "golden dome away from home" will be hard to forsake!

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

“Slow down” said bicycle touring writer Willie Weir in an Adventure Cycling magazine article, because it’s not how many miles you travel; it’s how well you enjoy the miles you travel. I decided to embrace that philosophy on a four-day trip, a loop through southeast Iowa, traveling 20-30 miles each day, making camp in time to rest and enjoy. Day 1

Fairfield to Oakland Mills South Shore Campground, 23 milesI had packed up during the eclipse of August 21, taking it easy in the living room with my gear, panniers, and bike, so I was all ready to ride the next morning after breakfast, watering the greenhouse, and heating some lentil soup for a Thermos. It had rained, easily but steadily, most of the night, so it was a cool and rain-washed morning when I took off. It took about six miles of riding until I got into a groove and just chugged along. During those first six miles, I usually ask myself at least once, “Now, why am I doing this? I could be home, sitting on the sofa.” This take-off was no different, but I enjoyed the morning, enjoyed being healthy, and thought positive thoughts until I got into the zone. The ride was twenty-three miles--approximately sixteen asphalt and eight gravel. The asphalt was enjoyable. Through Fairfield and then out Glasgow Road is a familiar route, the best bike route south and east of Fairfield for a bicycle. (Earlier post on Glasgow here.) There is no designated lane, but grass verge allows one to ditch if necessary, and traffic is generally light and respectful. I even had one young man in a pickup slow down behind me, turning on his flashing hazards as I was grinding up a steep hill. I always make sure to give a friendly, appreciative wave when these kind souls finally pass.I made pretty good time, which is great because once I hit the gravel, my speed slowed way down. This is always generally true for gravel, but it had rained last night. Good news: no dust; bad news: although not muddy, the gravel was soft underneath. The eight miles east was hilly, so progress was quite often on a gravelly, soft, hilly surface. I even walked a few hills just to get a break from the molasses dragging at each push of the pedals. Whereas Glasgow Road was agriculture viewed at a good clip, 250th Street was ag at a snail’s pace. Reaching 255th, though, the surface firmed up, and I was able to choose a line through the gravel that had been packed by traffic--although when, I’m not sure. I’m not totally sure, but I don’t remember having a single car pass me the entire gravel trek.

Reaching Oakland Mills South Shore Campground at 12:15 PM, I found a tent campground entirely in the sun--then set up my tent about thirty yards away beneath the shade of two cottonwood trees. First I laid down my tarp, put together my Thermarest camp chair with my mattress, and then cooked noodles to mix with my lentil stew. After lunch, I napped for a while in the shade on the tarp. Erecting my free-standing tent without the canopy, I just rested on the tarp a while longer, then showered, did asanas and meditation, and then wandered over to the camp host to register, since he had been gone all afternoon.

The sun was lowering, so I moved the tent to the sunny campsite which was now in shade. I’ll have sun tomorrow morning. Then dinner, some photos of the area, a general clean-up of the campsite to discourage critters, and some work on this blog. It’s pretty deep dusk now, so I’m putting the computer up and getting ready for bed.This was an enjoyable day. The Skunk River is peaceful, the evening is cool with low humidity, and I am not excessively tired. What a wonderful day!Day 2

Oakland Mills to Geode State Park, 24 milesI’d never been to Geode on my bike before, only by car many years ago, so I didn’t know what to expect. Google set me a route that was so wiggly that I knew most of the route would be on gravel. Now, southeast Iowa is rural, so any route by car is still rural, so I asked Google for a car route, and traffic was no problem.

Looking back on a hill just climbed.

The big surprise was that as the trip extended, the terrain became more hilly. My bike has a 14-speed Rohloff hub, and the last half of the trip was hitting gear fourteen going down the hill, and then quickly hitting my granny gear going up the hill. The hills were steep and long, something Iowa is known for, and today I rode the roller coaster! Luckily, today was all hard surface, so although I chugged a lot, I didn’t have yesterday’s challenge of steep, soft, and gravelly roads.As usual, heading into the state park included the steep roads. I suppose the state parks consist of land that can’t be farmed in corn and beans. The Geode campground is clean and well-maintained. I’m camped right now on a lawn that will have access to morning sun, having moved my tent from beneath a sycamore when the sun dipped behind the trees. That sycamore was my haven today!Today’s trip was about the same as yesterday’s in terms of time. What I gained in speed with the hard surface I lost spending all that time climbing hills in first gear. I had plenty of time to rest and to explore a bit today, though.

Setting up beneath a shady sycamore

I was able to use my little Emberlit wood cooking stove today, which was fun. I wanted to save my alcohol fuel, since tomorrow I will be camping in a primitive campsite in Shimek State Forest, and I wanted to keep all my options open.

Cooking with wood.

All is tucked away now except my tarp and Thermarest chair as I type outside, sitting on my tarp and watching the sun set. I want to get an earlier start tomorrow than 10 AM, since I have farther to travel, about eleven more miles. We’ll see how easy the route is tomorrow. I plan to follow today’s plan and to keep to hard surfaces as much as possible. Heading into Shimek, though, will mean some gravel, but it’s okay to hit gravel when heading into the deep, dark forest!Day 3

Geode to Bitternut Lake Campground, 40-45 milesFirst of all, the trip to Bitternut should have been about 35 miles, but stuff happened--and I hope you enjoy reading about my adventures.I wanted to get an earlier start this morning because I had a little farther to go. Having decided to travel to Bentonsport today instead of Farmington, I took off in high spirits, leaving about an hour and fifteen minutes earlier than my first two days. I wanted to arrive early so I could enjoy the afternoon at the campground, as I have been doing these last two days, so I started off, got in the groove, and found myself in Middleton, which I didn't remember being on the route. I was right! The turnoff was three miles back, and I'd missed it.

Skunk River . . . and another climb!

Adding six miles to my day right at the start wasn’t optimal, but I pedaled back and on. The early morning consisted of corn and bean fields--big surprise! I pedaled on and on, and found my car route contained a four-mile stretch south on Interstate 218, the Highway of the Saints freeway. Routing around it via the car route was mile-heavy, so I switched to the bike mode of Google, which included (you guessed it) a nice hunk of gravel, about six miles. The first four miles were terrible, “improved” gravel newly laid and very tough to negotiate. I’m glad I had my new bike with the two-inch tires. Finally I was routed to a less-used gravel road that was older gravel, hard-packed with tracks where traffic had brushed the gravel aside. That was fun riding!Heading onto hard-surfaced roads, I endured long stretches of straight highway, some with lots of traffic, including trucks, but the traffic was respectful, slowing and waiting to pass only when the way was clear. I finally made it to West Point, a small town of probably a little over a thousand. The town had a great park in the center of town, so I charged my cellphone and cooked lunch with my alcohol stove on one of the picnic tables under a pavillion. I topped off my water and headed on. Still lots of traffic and long straight stretches, so I gave my rear-view mirror a heavy workout and listened to a lot of Bob Dylan. I think his song “Hurricane” was especially a great riding rhythm.Then I reached a sign that said “Bonaparte 4 miles,” and another sign for a left turn that said “Farmington 6 miles.” Now, I knew that after Bonaparte, there was still a goodly stretch from there to Bentonsport. I also knew that Bitternut Lake Campground was before Farmington, so it would be closer to ride to Bitternut, and I hadn’t ever seen it, anyway. Unexpected left turn, change of plan!I was getting tired by this time, not excessively tired, but I could feel that my stamina was fading. It was a good choice. Bitternut Campground was only a quarter of a mile down the turnoff from the pavement, and it’s a nice little primitive campground, having only tables, firepits, and pit toilets--not even water. It’s real woodsy, though, just what I wanted to experience after two days of camping on lawns and riding through miles and miles of corn and beans.

Bitternut Lake Campground

Bitternut camp. Wood smoke to keep away the bugs.

Used an insect net for a bit. Worked great!

Setting up camp was a hoot! These small flies must have liked my sunscreen scent because I was swarmed. I used some wet wipes to clean up, added bug spray, and then for added measure donned a mosquito net over my hat--I bought one and keep it in my first aid kit. It’s the first time I ever used it, and it worked great. Dinner, and then to bed at dusk because I still had to do a little dance to keep the insects away. Today was a longer trip, but I persevered, kept my spirits up, and ended up in a nice spot for the night.Day 4

Bitternut Lake to Lacey-Keosauqua State Park, 20 milesIt was a warm and dry night at Bitternut. Since I was in a state forest, I spent a little more time securing the camp against critters. The primitive campground was a “pack out your trash” arrangement, so I bagged my trash and placed it in a fire ring at a campsite about thirty yards away from my camp in order to discourage an animal invasion, such as those masked raccoon bandits. I also parked my bike (with panniers) at the far side of the campground table, so my tent was reclused from all food. I was pleased to find out in the morning that nothing had been disturbed.

Bitternut Lake

I started out early, since the tent didn’t need to be sun-dried. Riding three miles to Farmington, I stopped at a little country café. Funnily enough, people were inside eating, and the entrance door was completely off its hinges, leaning against the wall. I thought, “People were really eager to have breakfast here!” I sat at the counter, had eggs and toast, and then started on my way again.Farmington is on the Des Moines River, so I crossed the river on Highway 2 and immediately had a big hill climb to get out of the river basin. That was a common occurrance on this trek--cross a beautiful river or creek and then have a gut-busting climb immediately after. And the pattern of zooming down a hill and then grunting up the next continued on this leg of the journey. Ah, Iowa!Two route choices to Keosauqua were available: Highway 2 and 1, or Highway 2 and county road J40. I chose the latter because it routed through Bonaparte and Bentonsport, a more rural course and closer to the Des Moines River. (Both towns are on the river.) I could have even chosen the gravel river road on the south side of the river out of Farmington; I rode it last year, and it’s a nice ride. However, I didn’t feel like gravel today, so I kept to hard surfaces.Bonaparte is a pretty little town, coming off a hill and descending into town. J40 crosses the river and continues through town. It was still morning, so the light was softer and the colors more saturated, a pretty view. I stopped out of town to apply more sunscreen, then continued rolling on, both spinning the pedals and heading up and down hills. It wasn’t too hot, thank goodness, but it was still August--so I guess it was hot and humid, even if a little cooler than normal.Bentonsport is even more rural than Bonaparte; its main street just off J40 is gravel. While in town I checked out the sandwich shop but discovered it is only open on weekends. I also saw a former student and her mom, who owns a pottery shop in town. I asked my former student if her children were in school, and she said, “Oh, no, my daugher’s thirty, and my son’s twenty-six. In fact, my daughter just told me I’m going to be a grandmother.” Time passes . . .

The Des Moines River after leaving Bentonsport

Down the road, J40 connected with Highway 1 for about a mile before the state park entrance. I passed on down the road, though, crossed the river, and stopped in Keosauqua for a sandwich since it was lunchtime. Fortified, I re-crossed the river and headed into the park. Finding I was too full to tackle even the first climb, I walked the bike for a while, then hopped back on the bike and rode until reaching “The Hill,” a hideously steep climb into the main part of the park. I pushed the bike up the hill, just slogging up the hill one effortful step at a time, finally making it.Paying for my camping space, I called my wife to tell her I had arrived. Our plan had been for my wife and grandson to visit the next day (Saturday) and then we’d rack my bike on the car, play at the Keosauqua river park, and then go home. My wife said she thought she’d bring him this Friday afternoon to see my campsite and then to go and play at the park, maybe to have a campfire. I suggested that we just pack my bags and come home on Friday night--and that became our plan.

In Keosauqua, we bought ice cream cones, fed my grandson his dinner, and watched the boy swing and slide. Finally, we took him home, and I slept in my “there’s no place like home” bed. It was a good trip, an athletic workout and a few new sights to enjoy. I’d like to try something new, though, maybe to ride the Mississippi River Trail route some, say from Burlington to Keokuk. It might be fun to schedule more time in an area, too. Shimek State Forest has another primitive campground. I could set up camp there and spend a couple of days exploring instead of just riding through. We’ll see what happens.

Monday, August 7, 2017

I have a love/hate relationship with the Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow. In brief, I love how it packs and travels; however, I have issues with actually using the pillow.The pillow is a dream to pack. Having two air valves, one for intake that holds in the air, and one exhaust valve for quick release of air, it is a jiff to inflate and deflate. It packs to the approximate size of a baseball but is, of course, soft and “squishable” when packing, coming with a nice little sack for storage. On the road, it’s light and malleable.Using the pillow has some positive aspects and quite a few negatives. The positives are that the pillow inflates easily, which is important since mine loses air slowly. It’s quick to re-inflate in the middle of the night. Too bad that I have to, though. I inflate the pillow fully, so that it’s as hard as I can make it. That’s pretty comfortable. If I partially inflate the pillow so that it’s softer, then it’s a night of nuzzling the pillow to get it comfy, and then having it pop up the back of my head by air displacement--you know, like a balloon. That gets old fast, and since the pillow slowly oozes air, that’s the nightly sleep reality. There are even times when I toss the pillow aside and wad up and use my long-sleeved linen shirt that I bike camp with for sun protection.Some folks may not be concerned with the fact that the pillow slowly leaks. Actually, that’s not a big issue for me. It’s the “balloon effect” that really gets my panties in a wad. I can’t mold the pillow to the shape that I want (and need). The pillow giveth, and the pillow taketh away. Therefore, I can’t give my ultimate blessing to this product. It packs so well and is so comfortable with its softly textured surface that I always begin my night’s sleep with the best of thoughts towards my Aeros. I fall asleep snuggled to my peachy pillow. Sometime during the night, though, we have our break-up. I wake up feeling I received a punch for every caress. I’m empty and without substance--or is that the pillow I’m talking about?

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

No way was I bike camping in SE Iowa when the temperatures and humidity both were in the 90’s. I stayed home, watered the garden, and rode my bike for commutes around town. Then the weather was forecast to be highs in the low 80’s and lows around 60. Time to go because more moderate temperatures might not come again soon!

Nice spot on the Cedar River. Stopped here last year, too.

I chose to repeat a bicycle tour I did last year, north of Fairfield, Iowa, starting from Evansdale and following the Cedar Valley Nature Trail south towards home. I had a few variations in mind, though, mostly leaving the trail at some point and heading west and south to cover some new territory west of Cedar Rapids and the Iowa City/Coralville area in order to skip the more urban route after the CVNT ends (even though there are excellent bike paths through Cedar Rapids and the Iowa City area).My wife took me up to the trailhead at Evansdale, and I was about 140 miles from home. She was shopping with our step-granddaughter, and I was pedaling.

CVNT, lime chips and shade

Day 1 was a diverse route that included Rails to Trails paved and lime chip surfaces, gravel roads, and asphalt and cement highways. Just jumping on the bike and traveling 48 miles on the first day was quite a shock to my system. It was still summer and humid, just not excessively so. I had brought and drank a lot of water, which was good. My legs tired by the end of the day, though, so I walked up some hills at the last part of the ride. I don’t mind some walking; it stretches different muscles and provides some respite for the ol’ rear end. In this case, though, I had to walk, due to my legs giving out.I remember that old Bob Newhart joke:

“Where’s your get up and go?” “It got up and left.”

There were two closures on the CVNT. One was a 30-yard washout in the first nine miles of the trail. Luckily, I was able to walk through the damage, using a single track path beat out by previous travelers. I thought that maybe I’d have to remove my panniers to finish the cross-over because the last bit was quite steep for about ten feet, but I power-pushed the bike up out of the washout’s drybed and was back on track.The second detour is at Gilbertville, routing around a bridge washout near La Porte City. Last year I had to take this same detour.

A 30-yard adventure

After rerouting and then returning to the trail, I headed on toward Urbana and then cut west off the CVNT to try the Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area campground. This route change included about five miles of gravel and around twenty miles of asphalt and cement highway. I enjoyed the chance to acquaint myself with my (fairly) new bike and my new Jones Loop handlebars. Also, I played music from my phone, which helped me pace myself.

Beautiful resevoir but not close to the campsites

For both the first and second days of the ride, I was amazed at how my route wound through the rural populated countryside but not near places to eat. In Brandon, I went off route, following an arrow to a “homestyle” restaurant; however, the establishment was closed. Heading west of the trail, there was a lot of farmland along the highway but not much in terms of eating, unless I wanted junk food from a gas station.

Pretty typical view for Day 2

Day 2 was a ride of 45 miles. I was stronger this day, my legs not giving out. I did have to walk the bike up the hills entering Kent Park; however, these were very steep hills. That seems to be pretty common for county parks. The ride was on highways the whole day, so I played lots of music to help the miles pass. The highways--94, 151, and 6--for the most part had a paved shoulder--white stripe, a rumble strip, and then 14-18 inches to the right. This made for a safer day, although I had to pay attention in order to not get “rumbled.”

One new experience happened while riding Highway 6 east of Cedar Rapids. It was Saturday, and a motorcycle group passed going the opposite direction--about 200 bikes. I was able to keep an eye out behind me for impatient cars that wanted to pass me but couldn't because of the long line of motorcycles. All was well until one yahoo in a sedan pulling a utility trailer decided to pass me in the middle of the motorcycle convoy, crowding both me and the motorcycles. Because I use a mirror, I saw the situation coming and was able to make an informed response--in this case to just be aware of the car coming up beside me and to measure distance.

Iowa River: nice view on Day 2

I also discovered that bikers have way more cool signs for acknowledging other passing bikers. From the bars, I kind of wiggle my fingers and nod. They've got all these cool moves with their hands, low and lean--peace signs, subtle low waves. I have to say that by the time the 200 passed, there was some lust in my heart for a mechanism with a motor!Kent Park features only electric camping spots, so the fee was $20. It was quiet and shady, though, and the park has clean showers and flush toilets. The camp host and rangers were friendly, although it was an unexpected moment to notice that the ranger was packing a pistol. Better he than a kook, though. Kent Park has a lake, but it has been drained and procedures are active for dredging the lake of its silt and also providing buffer areas to maintain water purity, due to farming in the area. It’s such a tragedy that nowadays big farming equals big pollution.On Day 3, I rode only eleven miles to Coralville to rendezvous with my wife and grandson at the mall, where he was visiting the Children’s Museum. The Sunday traffic was light, although upon entering the suburbs the riding lane was lost. This was a good ride, much like my ride last year except that I left the CVNT at about its halfway point in order to explore some new territory. Connecting with my wife also saved me about sixty miles of riding through familiar territory in order to get home; instead, I spent some quality time with my family.The trip would have been much easier for me if I had stopped on the first day at a campsite near Urbana, thus putting in fewer miles and making the strain on my body less. I am glad that I saw some new country, though, and look forward to my next trek, which will probably be to the south of Fairfield.

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

After changing my touring handlebars from straight mountain bike to Jones Loop Bar, I found the mirror I’d been using didn’t work. The straight bars were perpendicular to the bicycle’s body, and the Jones Bar ends at a 45-degree angle.

Searching for an alternative mirror, I first tried a couple of mirrors I already had, one that attached with a clamp to the handlebar, and another that fit inside the bar end (as does the Hafny). The first vibrated too much, interfered with bar bags and such, and did not project enough to the side to provide good visibility. The second adjusted for a good angle but was too cheap and provided a distorted view and excessive vibration; in addition, it kept getting out of adjustment.

Researching mirrors online, I came across the Hafny Bar End Bike Mirror. Its reflective surface is somewhat smaller than my cheap-o bar end mirror, but the stability of the mirror and the quality of the stainless steel reflective surface provide a good image. Also, the Hafny is versatile and allows me to adjust to exactly the perspective I need.

I’m pleased to find a mirror that is the perfect fit for my Jones Bar handlebars. I can’t use a helmet mirror, and I don’t want a mirror that provides a distorted view and is difficult to keep adjusted. It should also be added here that the mirror comes with a one-year warranty, and after my online purchase, the company sent me an email affirming that. I ride mostly in Iowa, and last year eleven bicyclists died here. I do what I can to make my rides safe. The Hafny mirror looks like a winner!

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

I'm gingerly riding on loose gravel, a few hundred yards from Kilbourn, Iowa. Down the steep hill to river level, I can see the road bend up ahead, probably rolling into Kilbourn and on to the bridge. A couple in a pick-up come from the wide-spot-in-the-road town and stop. They had just passed me earlier on their motorcycle.

"Like the gravel?" the man asks.

He is, of course, being sarcastic. The gravel is a loosey-goosey concentration exercise, just to get down to river level on the newly applied gravel."I prefer it more hard packed," I reply."Where you headin'?""Austin County Park.""Well, you can't get there from here. You'll have to go around, through Keosauqua.""Why, the bridge out?""Been out since 2000.""OK, so much for Google Maps.""They've dug a deep trench cutting off the access to the bridge on each side. I guess you could throw your bike up on the bridge, go across, and then do the same on the other side.""No, thanks. I'll just go back."With a wave, my information source is gone, and I'm alone again, contemplating my next move. I wish I had traveled on around the bend in the gravel to see Kilbourn and the bridge, maybe take some photos. I didn't, though. I just disconsolately turned around and headed back up the hill, soon pushing my bike up the grade, feet slipping occasionally in the loosey-goosey gravel.The Van Buren County Conservation website describes Austin County Park as follows:

Austin Park currently has gravel pads for primitive camping. There is no electric or water available at this time. In 2008 this area was hit by large ice chunks. These natural events plus several floods later has left it in a more primitive state. At this time the Conservation has no funding to rebuild it.

I see it with my mind's eye--early spring on the Van Buren River and the splitting sound as huge chunks of ice crack, mass together, and move downriver, scouring the banks, wiping out the campground. I wonder if I heard the man in the pickup wrong. Maybe the bridge was damaged in 2008, not 2000.

My trip to Kilbourn had been made enjoyable because of a tailwind--riding with a push from the friendly north wind. However, my overnight trip took a change for the worse with my decision to camp at Morris Memorial County Park, fifteen miles away, most of the directly into the wind with one staight northern route on Stockport Road. I had my Rohloff gearing down to gear 2 or 3 out of 14 too much of the time, slowly slogging into the wind.

I had planned a short 16-mile overnighter as a start to getting in shape, but it ended up 30 miles, and my legs let me know it was a bit much. Adventure cycling!

The mysterious Austin County Park still eludes me, see only in my imagination as glaciated ruins and now-placid waters. I already have a new route planned, via the Douds bridge and along ten miles of Eagle Drive that skirts the Des Moines River, about twenty-five miles. It should be a great ride.

Of course, assuming those ten miles of gravel are still able to be ridden. But as I've found out before, sometimes my assumptions are presumptuous.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Public transit and bicycles. This is a photo of bikes at the train station in Maastricht, Holland, in April of 2015, by two bicycle tourers, Patrick and Rachel Hugens. (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/pic/?pic_id=2235524)

I strain to imagine a similar scene in my area. People would be so much more healthy!

Those cars are big, fast, and solid. We bicyclists need to see behind to know what's closing in on us. I have a bike mirror on all...

Weekend Bicycle Touring

Many people ride bicycles, and many of us want to ride more but never seem to find the time to get away.

The geography this blog explores is mostly my hometown in Fairfield, Iowa, and the counties that surround it. In southeast Iowa, that means lots of rural roads that lead to state and county parks for overnight camping.

Check out the pages with useful, how-to information and links. Read about the adventures others are having. Contact me and share your adventures.

Let's explore the possibilities of getting away from it all--on a bike.